Top 10 Foods Highest in Copper

Written by Daisy Whitbread, MScN

Copper is an essential mineral required by the body for bone and connective tissue production, and for coding specific enzymes that range in function from eliminating free radicals to producing melanin. A deficiency in copper can lead to osteoporosis, joint pain, lowered immunity, and since copper is essential for the absorption of iron, anemia. Conversely, over-consumption of copper will lead to cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting in the short term, and can lead to depression, schizophrenia, hypertension, senility, and insomnia in the long term. Copper in large amounts can even be poisonous.

High copper foods include seafood, kale, mushrooms, seeds, nuts, beans, dried fruit, avocados, goat cheese, and fermented soy foods. The stomach needs to be acidic in order to absorb copper and thus antacids interfere with the absorption of copper, as do milk and egg proteins. The current DV for copper is 2mg. Below is a list of high copper foods, for more, see the lists of high copper foods by nutrient density, and copper rich foods.

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#1: Seafood (Oysters, Cooked)

Copper in 100g	Per 3oz (85g)	Per 6 oysters (42g)
5.71mg (285% DV)	4.85mg (243% DV)	2.4mg (120% DV)

Other Seafood High in Copper (%DV per 3oz cooked): Squid (90%), Lobster (66%), Crab (50%), and Octopus (31%). Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#2: Raw Kale

Copper in 100g	Per cup, chopped (16g)	Per cup, cooked* (130g)
1.5mg (75% DV)	0.24mg (12% DV)	0.2mg (10% DV)

A cup of chopped kale contains just 8 calories and 0.2g fat. *Cooking method involved boiling and draining the kale. Steaming may work better to preserve the copper level.
Top 5 Health Benefits of Kale.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#3: Mushrooms (Shiitake, Cooked)

Copper in 100g	Per cup, pieces (145g)	Per 4 mushrooms (72g)
0.9mg (45% DV)	1.3mg (65% DV)	0.65mg (32% DV)

Other Mushrooms High in Copper (%DV per cup): White, cooked (39%), Morel, raw (21%), and Brown Italian, raw (18%). Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#4: Seeds (Sesame Seeds)

Copper in 100g	Per cup (144g)	Per ounce (28g)
4.08mg (204% DV)	5.88mg (294% DV)	1.14mg (57% DV)

Other Seeds High in Copper (%DV per ounce): Sunflower Seeds (26%), Pumpkin & Squash Seeds (19%), Flaxseeds (17%), and Watermelon Seeds (10%). Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#5: Nuts (Cashew Nuts)

Copper in 100g	Per cup (137g)	Per ounce (28g)
2.22mg (111% DV)	3.04mg (152% DV)	0.62mg (31% DV)

Other Nuts High in Copper (%DV per ounce): Hazelnuts (25%), Brazil Nuts (24%), Walnuts (22%), Pine Nuts (19%), Pistachio Nuts (18%), Pecan Nuts (17%) and Almonds (14%). Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#6: Beans (Chickpeas, Cooked)

Copper in 100g	Per cup (164g)	Per 1/2 cup (82g)
0.35mg (18% DV)	0.58mg (29% DV)	0.29mg (15% DV)

Other Pulses High in Copper (%DV per cup, cooked): Soybeans (35%), Adzuki Beans (34%), Kidney Beans and White Beans (26%). Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#7: Dried Fruit (Prunes)

Copper in 100g	Per cup (132g)	Per 1/2 cup (66g)
0.61mg (31% DV)	0.81mg (40% DV)	0.40mg (20% DV)

Other Dried Fruit High in Copper (%DV per 1/2 cup): Dried Apricots and Currants (17%), Dried Peaches (16%), Raisins (15%), and Dried Figs (11%). Full list of High Copper Fruits. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#8: Avocados

Copper in 100g	Per cup pur�ed (230g)	Per avocado (201g)
0.19mg (10% DV)	0.44mg (22% DV)	0.38mg (19% DV)

Half an average avocado contains 161 calories. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#9: Goat Cheese (Soft)

Copper in 100g	Per half-cup (112g)	Per ounce (28g)
0.73mg (37% DV)	0.84mg (40% DV)	0.21mg (10% DV)

An ounce of hard goat cheese contains (9%) DV. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#10: Fermented Soy Foods (Tempeh)

Copper in 100g	Per cup (166g)	Per 1/2 cup (83g)
0.56mg (28% DV)	0.93mg (47% DV)	0.47mg (24% DV)

Other Fermented Soy Foods High in Copper (%DV per cup): Miso (58%), and Fermented Tofu (16%). Click to see complete nutrition facts.